Why is there stigma attached to triggers?

I was officially diagnosed with anxiety at the end of August. I posted here some of my thoughts about that. The experience of being diagnosed officially on paper in black and white was validating and terrifying, a mix of relief and dread. What I was going through wasn’t normal and I suspected what the problem was. Being correct was a nice feeling because it was nothing more or less worse than I expected.

I mentioned that I was in the process of seeking services I was really excited about, but due to my overall health I had to make some changes in my life and those opportunities fell through. Now I’m awaiting my records in order to seek other services closer to home. One thing I am really looking forward to is figuring out what triggers my anxiety.

We all know what triggers are and that many people have them. Triggers resurrect feelings about an event. In this context, it usually is a negative feeling tied to a traumatic event. An frequent example of someone who might be susceptible to a trigger could be a soldier diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

But others might be triggered by mere topics, and those feelings are valid, too.

I’ve been journaling daily several times a day with an app called Moodnotes. This app played a huge role in helping me identify the traps that my anxiety made me fall into, as well as gave me a place to channel my anxiety as I worked through it. But I still struggle with knowing what my triggers are. I started looking around online about the link between anxiety and triggers. I wanted to find out what triggered other people, and what were common triggers, to see if I identified with any of them.

Reluctant to discuss triggers

I was surprised to find there are lists and discussions about other common triggers, such as suicide warnings, rape warnings, explicit content warnings, etc. But no one really wanted to talk about the things that triggered anxiety. Even more interesting was the stigma I found surrounding people labeling their posts with trigger warnings, and trigger warnings in general.

For some reason, people seem to think that trigger warnings aren’t necessary, that the world today is too sensitive. Wrong! Trigger warnings are an absolute necessity. People deserve to be warned about the content they’re about to read, especially now that we live in a world where anyone can publish anything. People deserve to know they may be triggered and have a choice about whether they push through it and consume the content the internet has brought them. At the same time, people deserve the right to information and resources, and to know they’re not alone.

Let’s break the stigma on trigger warnings and shed some light on the question I’ve been wondering since I was diagnosed: “What triggers my anxiety?” (Tell me what triggers yours in the comments below.)

Note:Cerebral Palsy News Todayis strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those ofCerebral Palsy News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cerebral palsy.

Hello, My name is Brittney and I am a columnist with Cerebral Palsy. I focus on writing about lifestyle and believe that everyone's experience is relevant, no matter the disability. I support, and advocate for, the mainstreaming and normalization of children with disabilities and their families, as well as advocating for parents and children who need to go the more specialized route. I hope that my content provides a positive reinforcement that it is possible to live a happy and fulfilled life even with a disability.

Cerebral Palsy News Today

Disclaimer:

Cerebral Palsy News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

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